gouge
/ɡaʊdʒ/ (bre, ipa) · /ɡaʊdʒ/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgau̇j/ (ame, mw)
gouge — verb
- gougepresent simple I / you / we / they
- gougeshe / she / it
- gougedpast simple
- gouging-ing form
1. to charge someone a much higher price than is fair or reasonable, especially whe
to charge someone a much higher price than is fair or reasonable, especially when that person has no other choice or is in a difficult situation
The repair shop tried to gouge the elderly couple by charging them triple the usual price for a simple pipe fix.
collocation: gouge someone by charging...
During the music festival, local hotels gouged tourists by raising their room rates by over three hundred percent.
Some landlords gouge tenants by adding hidden fees that were never mentioned in the rental agreement.
After the hurricane, the government passed a law to prevent stores from gouging customers on essential goods like bottled water and fuel.
Travel agencies sometimes gouge holidaymakers who book flights at the very last minute.
- overcharge
neutral term; 'gouge' implies exploitation, not just a high price
- fleece
also informal, suggests cheating someone out of money, but less intense
- rip off
informal; can refer to being charged too much or receiving poor value
- undercharge
opposite; charge less than the fair price, usually by mistake
文法句型
gouge + someone + on + price
gouge + someone
用法筆記
Most common in American English; frequently appears in the noun compound 'price gouging' (selling essential goods at unfair prices during emergencies). The object is usually a person or group, not an item — you gouge a customer, not a product.
常見錯誤
2. to create a deep cut, hole, or mark by pressing a sharp tool or object into a su
to create a deep cut, hole, or mark by pressing a sharp tool or object into a surface with force, often leaving a rough edge
The sculptor carefully gouged deep lines into the marble block using a metal chisel.
gouge + into + surface
Floodwaters gouged a wide channel across the hillside after three days of heavy rain.
Someone had gouged their initials into the wooden bench near the park entrance.
The carpenter gouged a narrow groove along the edge of the oak shelf to fit the back panel.
A sharp rock gouged a long scratch down the side of the delivery truck as it passed the narrow alley.
- fill
to put material back into a hole or mark, opposite of removing it
文法句型
gouge + out + object
gouge + into + surface
用法筆記
The adverb 'out' often follows this sense (gouge out) when the material is removed from the surface. The resulting mark is called a gouge (noun sense 1).
常見錯誤
3. to press or push your thumb forcefully into someone's eye, or to force their eye
to press or push your thumb forcefully into someone's eye, or to force their eyeball out of the socket using your thumb
The security guard threatened to gouge the attacker's eyes out if he did not let go.
gouge + out + [body part]
In the ancient legend, the hero gouged out the giant's single eye with a burning stick.
gouge + out + [object] + with + [instrument]
The doctor explained that a strong blow to the patient's face could have gouged his eye from its socket.
During the violent struggle, the prisoner tried to gouge his opponent's eyes to escape.
Prisoners of war reported that their captors threatened to gouge out their eyes if they attempted to flee.
文法句型
gouge + out + someone's + eye
用法筆記
This is the most violent sense of 'gouge'. It appears most often in historical accounts, myths, self-defence instructions, or crime reports. The object is always a person's eye or eyes.
常見錯誤
gouge — noun
- gougesingular
- gougesplural
1. a long, narrow hollow or damaged area left on a surface after a sharp object has
a long, narrow hollow or damaged area left on a surface after a sharp object has been dug or cut across it
There was an ugly gouge in the floor where someone had dragged heavy furniture across it.
gouge + in + surface
A falling rock left a deep gouge in the side of the parked car near the driver's door.
Geologists studied the long gouge in the canyon walls, carved by thousands of years of flowing water.
A wide gouge ran across the workbench from years of heavy use by the carpenter.
The antique table had several small gouges near its edges where children had played with sharp toys.
- groove
more regular and deliberate; a groove is often made on purpose and has a uniform shape
- indentation
broader term; can be a hollow pushed in rather than cut out
- dent
usually caused by a blow that pushes material inward, not by cutting or scraping
文法句型
a + adjective + gouge + in/on + surface
用法筆記
A gouge is usually deeper and more irregular than a scratch or a dent. It implies that material has been removed from the surface, not just pushed aside.
常見錯誤
2. a tool with a short handle and a curved, sharp blade, used by woodworkers and sc
a tool with a short handle and a curved, sharp blade, used by woodworkers and sculptors for cutting grooves in wood or stone, and by surgeons for removing bone
The woodcarver picked up a medium-sized gouge and began shaping the curved handle of the ladle.
medium-sized gouge
The surgeon placed several surgical gouges on the tray before starting the bone operation.
surgical gouge
With a single sweep of his gouge, the sculptor removed a thin curl of stone from the statue's shoulder.
A narrow gouge cuts a rounded hollow in the wood, while a flat chisel produces a straight, square cut.
- chisel
broader category; most chisels have a flat blade, while a gouge has a curved blade
- carving tool
general term for any tool used to shape wood or stone
文法句型
a + adjective + gouge
surgical gouge
用法筆記
In woodworking, gouges come in various widths and curvatures (called 'sweeps'), each producing a different shape of cut. In surgery, a bone gouge is a specialised instrument for shaving or cutting bone tissue.